Arizona Cardinals have trouble holding on to the ball this season

There are numerous ways to quantify the Cardinals' passing game woes: completion percentage (last in NFL), average yards gained (31st in NFL), points scored (tied for 26th) and overall record (4-9).

The problems at quarterback have been well chronicled, but the Cardinals also have had more dropped passes (12.7 percent of attempts) than any other team.

According to STATS, Inc., receiver Steve Breaston leads the team with seven. Running back Tim Hightower has five, receivers Larry Fitzgerald and Early Doucet have four, followed by Andre Roberts with three and Stephen Williams with two.

"I don't necessarily know if it's an inordinate amount as much as it is critical situations, where we've had opportunities for big plays that can change the momentum of the game," coach Ken Whisenhunt said. "Anytime you are struggling a little bit, those things are magnified."

The definition of "drop" is subjective. One person making that determination might have a different standard than another. Does touching the ball mean a player should have caught it? What if his vision is obscured by a defender?

Is Fitzgerald apt to drop more passes because he has more physical ability to get to them than most players?

ESPN Stats and Information, for instance, has Breaston for six drops, not seven.

Fitzgerald has beat himself up over a handful of dropped passes, although four is not an unusual amount for someone who has been targeted 138 times this season. That's a drop 2.9 percent of the time.

Hightower, in contrast, has five drops in 30 attempts to him, or 16.6 percent of the time.

"I wouldn't say we've had any more (drops)," Fitzgerald said. "It's just that in years past, we've completed a lot more passes. I think the drops were overlooked. You look around the NFL, it happens from time to time."

According to STATS, the Cardinals also ranked last in percentage of catchable passes (57.8 percent), so maybe receivers have been a bit surprised when the ball has reached them.

Line forms to the side

Cardinals special teams coach Kevin Spencer is in his 20th season in NFL, so he's seen teams employ plenty of gamesmanship tools to try to win a game.

But the "line up" the Jets employed last week against Miami's punt team was a new one.

"I've never heard anybody talk about doing it. I never heard it as a planned strategy," Spencer said. "Certainly don't support it. For players' safety, we've got to be smart about those things. That's not worth winning games."

The only sideline coaching the Cardinals have received is to get out of the way to avoid injury, Spencer said.

"Especially if the ball is on the hash closest to your sideline, you're always concerned," he said. "You can get hurt badly. I've seen big men like Ken (Whisenhunt) and Coach (Bill) Cowher get absolutely knocked on their rear ends."

Time zone changes

The Cardinals are making their first trip to Carolina in nearly two years, and the story lines for the matchup have changed drastically.

In January 2009, the Cardinals and Panthers were playing in the divisional round of the playoffs. And the Cardinals were trying to overcome struggles in the Eastern time zone.

From 2003 through the 2008 regular season, the Cardinals were 2-19 in the East. Since then, however, they are 4-2, including the 33-13 victory over the Panthers in the playoffs and the loss in Super XLIII.

It's not a psychological challenge to win in the East now, Whisenhunt said. "Listen, it's not easy," he said, "but as far as the mental part of it, I don't see that as an issue."

The Cardinals left Friday afternoon for Charlotte, N.C., a day earlier than usual to allow themselves to adjust to the time change.

Injury update

Quarterback Derek Anderson (concussion) is listed as doubtful for Sunday, although Whisenhunt said Anderson had made progress and was kind of "50-50 at best right now."

Outside linebacker Clark Haggans (groin) is questionable and every other player on the injury report is probable. Inside linebacker Daryl Washington (groin) was added to the report on Friday.

For Carolina, receiver Armanti Edwards (illness) is doubtful. Everyone else on the injury report is probable.